Teen Driver and Boxster

[KevinH1990]

Does anyone have any wisdom to share about letting their teenager drive their Boxster?

My initial thinking on it is "no way" - the insurance rates would probably be astronomical. Also, I looked forward to buying my first Porsche since I was a teenager and the reward was that much sweeter for all the years of waiting.

After some reflection, I can see some arguments in favor of a teen driver. (1) For a relatively small car, the Boxster seems extremely safe from both design and handling/braking perspectives. (2) It would be less expensive - on a replacement cost basis - than buying a new economy car. (3) Why not let them have fun while they are young?

Still, it does seem kind of insane to let a teenager drive a car that can reach over 140 mph.

[ekam]

This is what happens when you let teenagers drive a Porsche.

http://www.autoblog.com/tag/circuit+city+porsche+damage/

Ok ok I admit I did some stupid things too when I was in my teens, but nothing this bad.

[sd_boxster]

While you sound like a cool parent, it sounds like a bad idea to me.

[tnoice]

My first car was an 86 fiero GT. Although I was upset at first because I could only haul around one extra person, I could understand my parents reasoning. That car would exceed 120 mph however with the technology that is out there and gps technology, you could always cap the top speed with a computer and track the car with gps. Might be a good car for a teenager.

[rick3000]

I'll add that most bad teen driving I see is when a teen is on a cell phone or driving with 3+ other people in their car. A Boxster can get rid off both of those problems.
If you have a manual you can't really pull off talking on a phone most of the time, and because it only has two seats their is only one person to distract the driver.

I think it is ultimately up to parents to know their kids well enough to decide if they are responsible enough to drive a car like the Boxster.

[stephen wilson]

Adam, you're very defensive! There's a reason insurance is so much higher for young, inexperienced drivers. I was a very responsible teen, never got into trouble, and got A's, but guess what; I showed poor judgement & driving skills on many occasions! I was only in one minor accident, but it was one that I would have avoided with several more years experience.
I had to pay 1/2 the price of my first car, which was a '69 Mustang for a whopping $2000!
One important point is: what year/value is the Boxster we're talking about? How easily can you afford having it totaled? If it has a low value and won't cause financial hardship if it's damaged, the decision may be a bit easier.
Steve

[PlayersExpress]

Yes I am very defensive because Ive come up in a stereotypical, biased world that say I cant do something, that I and others like me are something or cant do something because we are too young and inexperienced.

I am told I cant drive a car because Im inexperienced. Wrong, some people have a lot higher learning curve than most other people. You cant judge a person by there cover and your abilities and standards. Everyone is different.

Im young and Im told to go to college so I can get a good job working for someone else. Wrong. I own two start up companies, and people look at me, tell me, or even think to themselves.. that Im not going to make it or that Im too young and dumb.

The reason insurance rates are so high is that they are biased against teens, if you go look up statistics you will see that older drivers 55+ have the same rate of accidents and even higher than teens, yet their insurance is less. Insurance is a BUSINESS MEANT TO MAKE A PROFIT... they make it from teens. Essentially they screw teens because they are already biased against from day one of driving so therefore it is easy to use that as cover charge higher rates, and the best part about it ... TEENS HAVE TO PAY! Every teen wants to drive and if it cost them $600 a year more than their parents, they will pay it to drive.. and even if you complain, you cant change the system. They have what you want and need required by law to drive. If you disagree with me, feel free to go look up statistics, facts, and reports that are all free information online and offline. I already have, my final project for a Sociology class was on this specific topic about teen drivers, insurance, and safety.

Cheers,

Adam

[ekam]

Originally Posted by rick3000

If you have a manual you can't really pull off talking on a phone most of the time,

Really?

Try using your kneecap to steer, I've seen it before.

Or just ask lovebunny or FTD how they put makeup on while driving.

[fragdude]

Originally Posted by rick3000

I'll add that most bad teen driving I see is when a teen is on a cell phone or driving with 3+ other people in their car. A Boxster can get rid off both of those problems.
If you have a manual you can't really pull off talking on a phone most of the time, and because it only has two seats their is only one person to distract the driver.

I think it is ultimately up to parents to know their kids well enough to decide if they are responsible enough to drive a car like the Boxster.

Just to play devils advocate, every car I personally have purchased has had a manual transmission and it has never stopped me from talking on my cell phone...

However, I basically emulated the habits taken by my parents (father in particular) who always does something while driving. I also learned that there is a limit as to what you can do while driving (mainly because I was scared when he was behind the wheel), something my father hasn't quite figured out yet...

But I do agree that having 1 other seat in the car is less dangerous than 4 others.

Tell him NOT TO TEXT while driving!!!!! Much more dangerous than talking!
and if he does talk pay more attention to the road than the conversation!

[sd_boxster]

You've admitted over the course of this thread to misdemeanor or felony speeding (depending on the posted speed limit for the roads on which you were "chasing" your mom) - indicating that (a) you chose to ignore the law, and (b) you allowed your judgement to be swayed by someone else.

How is this a compelling argument to give a Boxster to a teenage driver?

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by KevinH1990

Does anyone have any wisdom to share about letting their teenager drive their Boxster?

My initial thinking on it is "no way" - the insurance rates would probably be astronomical. Also, I looked forward to buying my first Porsche since I was a teenager and the reward was that much sweeter for all the years of waiting.

After some reflection, I can see some arguments in favor of a teen driver. (1) For a relatively small car, the Boxster seems extremely safe from both design and handling/braking perspectives. (2) It would be less expensive - on a replacement cost basis - than buying a new economy car. (3) Why not let them have fun while they are young?

Still, it does seem kind of insane to let a teenager drive a car that can reach over 140 mph.

Yeah, it's not a great idea. They are great handling cars, but they do bite. Much harder than a Tercel or Corolla. Kids are kids, a kid with a Porsche is going to test it's and his limits, no matter how responsible.

I grew up with sports cars, my first car was a Mazda Rx-7 at 16 1/2 and my dad let me drive his MR2 Turbo every once in a while at the same time. I was a good student and a responsible kid, but looking back, I'm pretty lucky I didn't kill myself or someone else.

That's not to say the kid should never drive the car. If you're shotgun, it will be a good learning experience for him/her. Some DE time would also be a really good idea. But if you're talking about handing the keys over, I'd be wary as a parent and upset as a driver sharing the road with that kid.

[spyder803]

I really don't think we can help you with this decision since we don't know the kid. All kids have tendancies to do certain things when the parents aren't around but all kids are different.

I just bought my first Porsche and I plan on it being the vehicle my kids learn to drive in and I anticipate giving it to the oldest at that time and replacing it with a newer model for myself.

Base your decision upon your kid, you either trust them or you don't. They have given you reason to trust them or they haven't.

Best of luck either way.

[Bladecutter]

Well, speaking from my experiences as a teenager, here's the important things to remember about male teens, and driving cars:

They will always test out the top speed limits of the car, at least once a month, if not every time they get behind the wheel. I know I did in my '81 Pontiac Grand Prix. I'm just glad it had the Buick 231 V-6, and not either the Pontiac 301 V-8, or the Chevy 305 V-8.

They will test out the handling if there is even a single twisty road to drive on nearby.
This means pushing the car harder and harder around the corners until they lose control.
Boxster's don't suffer fools at the wheel, and this could lead to a very bad thing.
I grew up in NYC, and with the GP, there really wasn't anyplace I could go fast enough to lose control of that car, without either really trying, or just plain doing something completely stupid.

Next up are friends, and that's going to be the worst factor that you won't have ANY control over. Everyone has that one friend, that can push your kid's buttons at just the wrong times, and convince your kid that doing something truly stupid right now is the best thing in the world. Or better yet, he will let that moron friend drive the car, and that's when BSHs (Bad S*** Happens). You won't ever be able to prevent this from happening. It will happen.

The truly best thing you can do is this:

Go driving with your kid every weekend.
Spend a couple hours out on the road with him, and swap seats several times during the drive.
Find some great roads to go play on, make sure you do a couple passes in both directions in order to make sure the road is clean and safe, and have some fun, wringing the car out a bit.

If you and your son can bond together over the car, then he will respect you and the car that much more, and will most likely do less stupid stuff if you give him the car on his own.

Oh, and get him a good radar detector.
At least let him learn that there is a time and place for speeding, and that he should learn where the hot spots are fairly safely, and early on.

BC.

[944boy]

I got my 944 when I was 16. I had driven a toyota for less than a year at that point including permit time. With the 944 my parents told me that I was responsible for maintenance and repairs. Also if I got a single speeding ticket, they would take the keys away permanently.

7 years later I still have the 944 with 100K miles more on the odo as well as a boxster. But I was always a good kid though. People have handed me keys to really nice cars for as long as I can remember, and I have never let them down.

But then again, I never let just anyone drive my cars.... and yesterday was the first time I let one of my cars (the boxster) out of my sight in the hands of another.

So it depends on the kid's personality, but instilling some responsibility along with the privilege might help if you think he/she is mature and responsible enough not to do something TOOOO stupid. Oh and learning how to drive at driving schools/HPDE/Auto-x is also really good at a young age.

[986Porsche986]

We dont know anything about your teen and how responsible they are, but I can say this, I was raised in a great home, with loving parents who are still together after 49 years and even though I was very responsible growing up, I still remember my friend and I (17 years old) pushing his moms Honda Prelude to 138 mph. If we had access to a Porsche, I'm sure we would have tried to push it to its limits and probably killed ourselves or others. My two cents, their too young to drive a car with that much speed by himself or with a friend. But it would be great fun for a father and son to take turns at the wheel together!

[Lil bastard]

If I had a kid, I'd do what my father did with me.

The weekend of my 16th b'day, I got my license...and... my dad brought me, along with his 356 to an auto-x.

Learning the limits of the car, as well as my own, in a controlled environment, really taught me to play nice on the street.

[vath2001]

Well, for one, my father never had a Porsche. If he did, I doubt I would have been allowed to drive it. Lets face it, at 16 we were idiots behind the wheel. Totally indestructable and fearless. Only with age have we accumulated wisdom and tolerance.... and economic means to afford our toys.

Besides, I think if my Dad saw the way I drive my Boxster, he would take away my keys.... and I'm 43.

[944boy]

My dad is crazy behind the wheel, he's worse than most 16 year old's. I think that's why I was more responsible, when we rode with him we all thought we were going to die.

it also helps to have a slower car, like the 944. With 130hp I got it up to 130 once... and that took miles and miles. After 100 drag took over and it didn't want to go any faster. Maybe we should have restored the 356 super-90.

Sleeved to 1790cc it might have been as fast as the 944 with crappier brakes and 4" tires.... second thought that might not have been so good.

[rob76turbo]

I am letting my son, now 16, learn to drive the Boxster. The pounding the clutch is taking is probably going to mean a new clutch a little sooner......but that is also part of the master plan....

I will than go to my wife and say...wow! our son toasted the clutch and now I need a new one. That means LWFW, Spec I or II Clutch, RMS and IMS updates.

Oh, and when he gets proficient enough, we are going to do a DE together.

[Lordblood]

I'm 17 now, and have owned my Boxster since I was 16. It's been more than 8 months now I think, and I'm still alive.

The great thing about the Boxster is that it isn't super fast, esp if you dont get an S. I drive mine without traction control (didn't come with it) and I do fine. I'd suggest letting your teen know a bit about the road though, it's really easy to find yourself within a group of Mustang's revving their V8's for a street race at the lights, and very easy to get into a crash at that point.

I don't like to brag or anything, but I try to be as responsible as possible. I realize what I'm driving isn't a toy but rather an assembly of fine engineering and design.